As a new year approaches many emotions often lead us to make promises and resolutions. Some to lose weight, others to exercise more. Some desire a closer walk with God and resolve to follow Him better than the previous year. And some want to be better wives, mothers or friends.
Many times the promises or resolutions we make are not grounded in the Word of God, but in our flesh. We focus on the end result and not on the process. There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight and exercise, to become a better YOU. But because we allow our emotions to lead us into making some these New Year Resolutions many times we find that after just a little time we have fallen off and what was a resolution is now a mere memory.
Committing ourselves to a New Year's Resolution will not necessarily bring a profound life changing experience, but committing our heart to God...studying His Word, and praying, that is what will bring eternal, lasting life transformation.
So this year I invite you to join me in writing a New Year's Prayer instead of a New Year’s Resolution.
To begin, examine these things that you would normally place on your New Year's Resolution and prayerfully ask the Lord to reveal the heart issue behind it. In other words what is the reason deep down for that specific resolution. Ask Him to lead you through His Word to verses that directly address what you hear.
"For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires" (Hebrews 4:12, NLT).
Perhaps you want to lose weight because you feel unworthy of love due to your past, your present, or choices you have made. Find verses on God's great love for you. Believe and trust His promises that He created you just the way you are because He has a great plan and purpose for your life that only you can accomplish.
Perhaps you want to spend more time in the Word but you are too busy...you just can't fit it into your day. Find Scriptures on God's wisdom and priorities. Proverbs is a great place to start. Perhaps you want to be a better wife, mother or friend, but you have a temper that flares or a tongue that cuts like a knife. Open God's Word and find verses addressing speech, self-control, and patience. Proverbs and James are great places to start. Once you have found your verses, take each one and personalize it. Then join them together, along with your own words to make a prayer. Copy your prayer into a journal or notebook, or place somewhere that you can read and reflect on often.
If you pray His Word over your life...over your heart...over your home, He will be FAITHFUL to prosper it and make it bear fruit!
My prayer includes… ”Lord invade my heart as I seek to surrender my life to You in a greater way than ever before in 2023. Lead me through Your Word, show me the truths and promises You have for me….”
So as we leave this year behind us and move into the promises of the new year. I pray that God will reveal to you who you truly are. How loved you are, how important you are. That God will take you from Beyond the Broken into a new fullness of life in Him.
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